Look at Me
by EpyonZero23
Summary: A girl with a kind yet ailing heart. A boy with a cold and calculating heart. One unforgettable summer day. One promise that binds them. All should have been well... till Haruka Niimi realized that all she wanted was for Heero Yuy to "look at her". Straight. AU. Gundam Wing x Photo Kano.
1. One Fateful Summer Day

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Gundam Wing, Photo Kano or any of its characters. I wrote this fanfic for my own pleasure and purely entertainment.

**Chapter 1 – One Fateful Summer Day**

The day was bright and sunny. The sound of birds chirping, cicadas buzzing and rustling of green leaves filled the air. The skies were packed with cirrus clouds that seemed to have been swept by a gigantic broom across the entire atmosphere. A light yet cool breeze blew steadily, balancing the early morning temperature with the natural warmth supplied by the current season. It was truly a perfect day to bask under the sun.

The southeastern park was a wide expanse landscaped with various shrubs, trees and well-trimmed grass. Scattered across its stretch were well placed lamp posts, concrete benches and trash bins to help maintain the park's cleanliness. On such a beautiful day, it was expected that the square would be filled with people from all walks of life. Such as families, lovers, friends, various groups, even acquaintances across all ages and both genders.

It was summer.

The crisp warmth provided by the sun and smoothly flowing gale completed the ideal backdrop for the season.

Today was a weekday. It was only 730am in the morning and most of the adults are on the way to their respective workplaces. Save for a few joggers, a pair of women walking their pets, a trio playing Frisbee and a couple preparing for picnic there wasn't much activity yet inside the park.

"This is Red One, status report on all units." A cold and calculating voice spoke through the commlink.

"This is walker team lead, we're taking another lap, no activity yet on the area." One of the joggers replied through the barely visible mouthpiece of his walkman's headset.

"This is tracker unit two, all looks pleasant from here." A woman walking her dog responded.

"This is the observer team, all clear on our perimeter." Another man reported while sitting on a laid out blanket across the grassy area underneath one of the trees beside a woman who was handing him a tetra pack juice.

"This is gate watcher three, no activity on the north entrance."

"Gate watcher one, we're all good on west entrance."

"Sniper lead reporting, east entrance is empty."

After the various teams finished giving updates to their positions, Red One, the overall operations team leader pushed his ice cream cart to his designated vantage point and surveyed the area.

They had cordoned the park to the best of their resources. Roving units had redirected the few possible civilians that may happen to enter the area by leading them to believe the park was closed due to maintenance on its sprinkler systems.

'_Everything is so wrong on this setup. Knowledge of this exchange was so limited we are forced to conduct a morning operation and inside a common park of all places.'_ He mused while his cobalt blue eyes keenly scanned the surroundings.

The Preventers Special Response Team had no choice on the matter. The operation was highly critical as it would be the only opportunity they had to crackdown a business meeting between a radical arms dealer and an extremely dangerous assassin.

Ideally, it was hitting two birds with one stone. Apprehending both of them takes out two major pieces off the board in the raging and ongoing silent conflict of preventing another full-scale war. He was especially contracted for this operation after intelligence reports learned that the supposed target on the bargaining table would be the chief representative anchoring the peace talks.

Relena Peacecraft.

An attempt will be made on her life if the deal is successfully brokered between two very elusive criminals. One desired to resume hostilities between the Earth Sphere and Colonies once the prime advocate of peaceful relations have been taken cared of. While the other would become a hot commodity when chaos ensues and sides are taken. The arms dealer would obviously benefit as his business will profit greatly. The assassin meanwhile gets more contracts once another armed conflict occurs.

Everything on this operation rests on his shoulders.

No one was better suited for the job other than him.

The ever consummate and perfect soldier, Heero Yuy.

"Red One, this is Grey Two, I'm seeing a convoy comprised of a black sedan and black SUV entering from the north gate. No doubt they'll be proceeding to the parking area before leaving their vehicles." A braided young man reported, holding a bundle of strings with lots of multicolored balloons attached on each end.

"Everyone hold your positions. We are still waiting for another mark before we commence with the operation." Heero answered.

"Roger that group lead." Duo Maxwell replied which was followed by confirmations from the other teams.

'_Knowing the background of these people, we'll have to use suppressive force if necessary.'_ The brown haired boy pondered as he resumed pushing the cart while peddling his ice cream.

* * *

Haruka Niimi was a bright young woman at the tender age of 17. She had chestnut brown hair that fell past her shoulders with a pair of white hairclips tying her left bangs. Her expressive amber eyes could easily capture anyone's attention while a small light smile always graced her thin lips. She was active and outgoing while possessing a kind, cheerful personality. It doesn't even include her natural beauty and gentle aura that seemed to hover around the young woman. Considered her school's current idol and tennis ace, many boys and girls had since been enamored to her beauty and qualities.

After eating breakfast, she had left her house early to take a morning stroll on the park before going to the market area. Her mother had forgotten to buy several ingredients the previous day and asked her to do it instead. Obeying promptly, Haruka also wanted to visit a few stores along the strip mall once her given task was complete on her way home.

Wearing a white sun dress and a pair of slip-ons with her small brown shoulder bag, the lovely girl took in the morning air and exhaled in contentment. The warm weather and the light breeze made up for what was a perfect summer day.

"This day is really nice. I really love summer!" She cheerfully uttered to herself while gazing at the clouds that seemed to have been raked across the skies.

* * *

Walther Heinhzengard was a tall, lean man of European descent standing somewhere between 6'3" to 6'4". He was easily noticeable with his golden blond hair, clear green eyes and cleanly shaven oval face. A former member of OZ's Specials unit, he had distinguished himself both as an above average mobile suit pilot and a deadly marksman during the Eve Wars. The former OZ soldier was forced to take illegal jobs and accept contracts for shady organizations as means to support his way of living. Since the conclusion of the Eve Wars and the aftermath of Mariemaia's rebellion, it had been difficult to ply his trade with the current peace time.

Today, he will be meeting with a disgruntled arms dealer known only in the criminal underworld as Mister Ox. Based from the limited information he has gathered from his peers, the man was well built despite being already in his mid-fifties, balding, had a distinguishable large mole at the lower right side of his cheek, a pencil mustache above his thick lips and a pair of slanted eyes. Rumors had it that the man was a former Major of the now defunct Alliance military terrestrial forces, abandoning his post after the famous "Operation Daybreak" Coup d'etat toppled the governing United Earth Sphere Alliance military after Field Marshal Noventa's untimely demise.

The assassin casually spared another glance at the pair of dead bodies he had neatly stashed on the dense foliage surrounding the tree they were previously hidden before he easily took them out.

'_Preventer agents, no doubt. It seems they're onto our business meeting today. If the potential for new possibilities along with the pay wasn't this good, I would never have acceded to the meet up. Well, for such a large expanse… they're pretty stupid to think they'll have enough men to cover every square inch.'_

He carefully placed the small headset to his ear before carefully listening in on the channel. The frequency the Preventers were working on was dead silent, he dared not say anything as the assassin planned on using their communications against them.

'_I'll just be a silent participant so that I can track your movements when you spring your supposed trap.'_ Walther mused before smirking as he went past the east entrance.

* * *

'_Ahh… a peaceful early morning walk on the park sure is a good way to start the day!'_ Haruka ascertained after getting past the east side gates.

The cheerful young woman decided to pass by the park first and relax a bit before going to the market by exiting through the northern entrance. She sighed while breathing in the early morning breeze while mesmerizing the warm rays of the sun. The weather was definitely perfect. She could hear the birds chirping by the trees, rustling of the leaves and branches as well as witness the joys of the parks visitors.

There was a couple underneath one of the trees with the woman leaning lovingly at her man. She smiled after hearing the excited cheering from the group playing Frisbee at the open field. There was a pair of women walking their dogs while talking excitedly amongst themselves. While a trio of joggers were sweating extensively from their morning run.

At the benches was a middle-aged man wearing a sweatshirt and jogging pants while being surrounded by a group of burly men dressed in black.

'_Rich people need bodyguards even during peace time.'_ The chestnut brown haired girl noted before shifting her glance at the passing vendor a good distance away from her.

The young man rang a small hand bell while pushing his ice cream cart. He was wearing a striped blue collared shirt and black pants. He has a lean and slender frame, but the way his shirt hung on showed his nice posture and chiseled yet toned muscles. He had cool Prussian blue eyes and a mass of chocolate brown hair with long bangs.

'_Oh… he looks rough at the edges… but he's definitely a hunk.'_ Haruka observed before realizing that her feet was already moving towards his direction.

'_Errhmm… I'm just going to buy ice cream. Oh… stop kidding yourself, Haruka. You just want to see him closer.'_ She thought, smiling foolishly at herself.

"How much for an ice cream? I'd like to buy one." The tennis ace opened while smiling kindly at the young man.

The ice cream vendor was startled when she spoke. She noticed though that there was an alarmed look in his cobalt blue orbs after carefully checking her.

"Only three gils for a triple layered chocolate." He tersely answered cautiously throwing another look at the man surrounded by his bodyguards.

"I'd like that. I'll take one please!" She cheerfully replied.

The young man opened his cart and soon enough he was already handing her the triple layered chocolate ice cream. She gave him a twenty gil bill out from her shoulder bag in return.

'_Well… he definitely is rough. But I think that's his innate quality. He has that air of mysteriousness though for an ice cream vendor. But… well… he certainly is cute.'_ She pondered while eating her ice cream.

"Here's your change, miss. I don't want to sound rude but please leave the park premises immediately." He curtly responded while giving her the change.

"Huh? You can't be an ice cream vendor if you're like that. You'll scare the children away." Haruka kindly replied while looking at the young man questioningly.

He did not respond to her but instead began pushing his cart away from her.

'_My assessment was right, but he doesn't have to be snobbish.'_ She thought while counting her change.

"Hey mister! You got my change wrong… there's an extra ten gil here!" Haruka called out before moving towards the ice cream vendor's direction.

* * *

"Ok, Heero. I'll go make a quick check on them. They're probably following your last order on radio silence." Duo replied to him using a separate frequency as he took another discreet glance at the group of men.

'_No doubt, the guy wearing jogging outfit is the arms dealer. But I'm more concerned on the assassin. He has yet to show himself for their meeting.'_

The Perfect Soldier counted four bodyguards on black suits surrounding the man he surmised who should be the arms dealer. They have maintained radio silence after detecting the arrival of the group. All in all, there were a total of ten targets including the arms dealer and the assassin who has yet to appear. The other four guards had remained on a defensive perimeter around their vehicles. Heero had since been deeply disturbed after missing the status update from the sniper team placed by the eastern gates prior to his call for radio silence. The rest of their team was on alert and playing their covers while waiting for his queue to proceed with the mission.

The anticipation was killing him. Time seemed to move very slowly as the waiting game between them, the arms dealer group and the assassin lingered.

He was quite startled after hearing someone call out to him coming from the direction of the east entrance.

"How much for an ice cream? I'd like to buy one."

Heero turned and was undoubtedly alarmed after seeing that the voice belonged to a young woman whom he easily recognized was not part of his team. The girl was somewhere around 17 or 18, standing between 5'3" – 5'4" and had chestnut brown hair that dropped past her shoulders with a pair of white hair clips tied at her left bangs. The young woman was wearing a white sundress and a small shoulder bag was at her side.

'_Could she be the assassin? No… the intel though very limited, clearly stated the guy's quite tall and already in his early 20s.'_

He felt his heart was gripped with dread upon realizing that the girl was… an unknowing civilian now caught in the middle of their operation.

"Only three gils for a triple layered chocolate." He tersely answered, cautiously throwing another look at the man surrounded by his bodyguards.

An innocent civilian.

'_Damn, we might have to abort. Despite the opportunity, another innocent might die here.'_ He pondered before his earlier musings were confirmed by another transmission from Duo.

"This is bad, Heero. The sniper team at east gate has been dispatched and their bodies were neatly concealed underneath some foliage here." The braided haired pilot reported as the young woman replied.

"I'd like that. I'll take one please!"

He opened the cart's lid where carefully stored underneath it was his own sidearm. He then scooped and prepared the girl's order before throwing another discreet gaze at the arms dealer's group and switching back to the young woman.

'_Could she be an accomplice? No matter how I look at it… she doesn't have a weapon that she could conceal with her clothing.'_

Soon as he handed her the ice cream, the girl gave him a twenty gil bill out from her brown shoulder bag.

"Here's your change, miss. I don't want to sound rude but please leave the park premises immediately." He curtly responded while giving her the change.

Ascertaining that the young woman was indeed just a civilian, Heero was about to give the order to abort when he saw another individual appear from the edge of his periphery.

It was another jogger wearing an all grey hooded tracksuit. The man had approached the arms dealer and was now discussing things with him while pretending to make preliminary stretches.

'_Damn it! The cast is complete! But with the way things are going, we have no choice but to stand down.' _

"Huh? You can't be an ice cream vendor if you're like that. You'll scare the children away." The girl kindly replied while looking at him questioningly.

Heero decided to ignore her and slowly pushed his cart away from her direction.

"This is Red One. Abort mission. I say it again, abort. Mission is compromised we have a civilian in the premises." He uttered under his breath through the private channel before hearing the young woman speak once again.

"Hey mister! You got my change wrong… there's an extra ten gil here!" She called out to him while moving towards his direction.

'_Shit!'_

He turned his head at the group's location and accidentally locked eyes with the assassin.

A malicious glint appeared on the eyes of the hired killer as they stared at each other for what should be no longer than three seconds.

He saw the murderer utter something at the arms dealer causing the middle-aged man to convey a set of orders to his bodyguards.

Within a split-second the assassin was already pulling out a pair of pistols and the bodyguards of the arm's dealer readying their submachine guns at them. The Perfect Soldier quickly opened the cart's lid and drew out his sidearm within before diving at the young woman.

"Get down!" Heero yelled.

A spray of bullets washed over their direction, shredding his ice cream cart into pieces.

"This is Red One, take them down! I repeat, take them down!" The former pilot of Wing Gundam ordered as he covered the young woman underneath him with his body.

"Affirmative Red One this is the observer team, preparing to follow orders!"

"This is walker lead, engaging the enemy!"

"Tracker units are moving to intercept, Red One!"

Bullets whizzed past them. Fortunately, they had landed behind some bushes and a concrete bench which provided them some shelter as the assassin and the gunmen rained bullets at their area. Shortly after, he heard another barrage of fire answer, this one coming from a different location.

The Preventers were already responding to his orders. The two agents pretending to be a couple were the first to respond followed by the trio of joggers from the walker team. The two female agents that comprised the tracker team completed the assault.

Two of the bodyguards were immediately cut down from their counterattack.

However, the assassin was quick to retaliate. He instantly shifted his sights at the two agents acting as lovers before killing them with precise shots from his pair of pistols. The arms dealer showed skills and experience from trained military personnel as the middle-aged man shot down one of the joggers with decent accuracy.

Heero quickly glanced at the young woman underneath him and found that her eyes were glazed while she was also hyperventilating. Her breathing was sharply drawn, showing the strain, difficulty and raggedness.

"Look at me! Calm down, ok? We will get out of this alive!" He gravely said to her, hoping to calm the young woman down.

"But we need to get out of here! Don't worry, I will protect you!" Heero guaranteed at the chestnut brown haired lady to which she nodded repeatedly in response.

Once he was certain that the enemy fire was drawn away from them, the Perfect Soldier quickly stood up and aimed at one of the body guards who was returning fire against the Preventer agents.

He took the man down with two bullets before pulling the still shaking amber eyed girl up on her feet.

"Come on, let's go!" The cobalt eyed young man beckoned as he led the civilian towards the eastern exit.

Fighting has erupted on the parking area with Duo dispatching two of the sentries posted to protect the arms dealer's vehicles. Another Preventer agent had gone down, this one was a member of the gate team watching over the northern access point. The arms dealer had separated with the assassin at this time and was now rushing towards his vehicle while being covered by the remaining bodyguard from his group at the park. The trio comprising the Frisbee players was hot on pursuit as the other surviving Preventer agents from the earlier exchange were tending to the wounded and securing the bodies of their slain comrades.

Meanwhile the assassin had gunned down two more Preventer agents, one from the joggers and the other from the pair of female agents who were pretending to walk their dogs earlier. Seeing the situation desperate as the park will soon be swarming with more agents, the man was also attempting to make a break out using the eastern exits.

Heero held the young woman's hand tightly while straining to balance his pull on her to the best of his abilities. The female civilian whizzed and huffed as she struggled to keep up with him. He wanted to slow down but with the situation at hand, it was more dangerous for them each second they linger within the park's premises.

However, his keen instincts alerted him that someone was trailing them and also attempting to get out of the park through the east gate.

A gun shot narrowly flew past them.

'_Damn!'_ Heero cursed in his thoughts as he was forced to tug at the young woman harder so that she'll be placed behind him.

The moment the chestnut brown haired lady was at his back, he was able to get a clear view of their pursuer.

It was the assassin.

'_No other choice!'_ The Perfect Soldier quickly pondered as he got in between the hired killer and the girl.

Both of them fired at each other the same time.

It was instantaneous, leaving both combatants no time to dodge the attack.

The bullet from his sidearm plowed through the assassin's heart, immediately killing him.

But his opponent's projectile pierced through his shoulder injuring the brown haired boy.

As Heero staggered backwards he heard the thud of someone hitting the ground behind him.

* * *

The bullet went cleanly through her shoulder but the impact was enough to push her down the pavement. Blood flowed profusely out of the wound. Her heart was already overly strained from the ordeal as she struggled to maintain her breathing. The pain was excruciating, causing Haruka to instinctively look at her gunshot wound.

She felt her strength steadily diminish as she collapsed on the ground.

'_Am I… am I going to die?'_ She wondered while her eyes started to brim with tears.

The young woman had long accepted that with her heart's quite fragile condition… her life would be limited as she would need to be taken care of at the slightest possible infraction. Though she played tennis to maintain a healthy lifestyle and ate the proper diet correctly, Haruka recognized that she still lived a restricted lifespan.

Would it end here?

Was it time now?

What will her family and friends feel?

Will they remember her?

A multitude of questions presented themselves in her mind before she heard the voice of the ice cream vendor who was actually a secret agent.

"Look at me!" He steadily and grimly called out to her as she felt being cradled into his arms.

His Prussian blue irises were intensely looking into her eyes, there was a mysterious and gentle twinkle emanating from them.

"Everything will be alright! Look at me! You'll be fine! I will take care of you!" He sincerely told her, his cool cobalt blue irises holding her amber orbs in an ever piercing gaze.

"P-promise me…" She uttered, her amber brown orbs looking deeply into his eyes.

Haruka didn't know what came into her mind as she spoke those words.

Was it her fear of dying? Was it brought upon her by impulse?

"I promise. Now… calm down, relax your breathing. You're safe now." The secret agent assuredly said to her with the gleam in his eyes telling her that he was speaking the truth.

She nodded softly at him.

"Look at me."

She nodded lightly again, yet consciousness was slowly escaping from her grasp.

"I will… hold you to that promise." Haruka gently replied before closing her eyes and losing awareness.

That one fateful summer day, forever changed Haruka Niimi and Heero Yuy's lives.

Their fates had been tied together… a boy with a cold, calculating heart and a girl with a gentle yet ailing heart.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

First of all, welcome to my second work – _**"Look at me"**_. I wasn't planning on releasing anything till **Haruka's Wings** gets concluded but while researching for related material on Amagami, I came upon Photo Kano, its supposed spiritual successor. I got deeply intrigued with its storyline and driven by intense curiosity, watched the recently concluded anime.

Same as Amagami and Kimikiss, Photo Kano also originated as a Visual Novel. For fans of the three series they could notice the similarities of the characters. While watching the anime though the heroine I got interested with happened to be Haruka Niimi primarily because of her health condition.

The question – "What would happen if Heero Yuy was paired with a girl hounded by an ailment?" Sparked a lot of ideas and offered a wide range of premise. I could not get it off my mind. From there a storyline presented itself to my imagination.

Haruka – OK, lots of similarities aside from the name with my first and favorite heroine from another anime who also happens to be the leading woman of my first fan fiction work. Both of them are considered as the campus idols of their respective schools. Big difference though, canonically Haruka Niimi is the main heroine for Photo Kano while it is Tsukasa Ayatsuiji for Amagami. Her romance with the original protagonist is the center of the VN and anime aside from the fact that their pairing is realistically possible (considering the main character's psyche as well).

Alternate Universe – No time travel here, all related material will be kept exclusively on my first story. Canon events, inclinations, character development and progression will revolve on incorporating elements from the two anime shows. It also gives me an opportunity to approach a story board differently.

Drama and Story Length – Content will not be as heavy and as intensely as Haruka's Wings. Story would probably run at less than half of the total chapters.

Rest assured that despite this release, focus and effort on my first work's completion will not change. I just really had to get this off my mind and on the table.

Thank you so much for reading and please review! Let me know what you think!

P.S. - The story will be moved to the Photo Kano category once it is approved and created by the site admins.


	2. The Boy with a Cold Heart

******Disclaimer: **I do not own Gundam Wing, Photo Kano or any of its characters. I wrote this fanfic for my own pleasure and purely entertainment.

**Chapter 2 – The Boy with a Cold Heart**

The loud wailing sirens of the ambulance were more than enough to clear the usually busy main road of Kouga Prefecture. The driver expertly weaved through the traffic as various vehicles gave way for the emergency van rushing madly on its way towards the hospital. The man behind the wheel was already on his late thirties, armed with a decade worth of crisis driving experience, such conditions were apparently considered normal to his profession. Overall, his outer appearance was calm and composed with the only thing evident to the severity of the situation would be the unusual glint reflected by his steely gray eyes. They were hawk-like as he stared at the road like a predator while occasionally steering and swerving the ambulance to avoid other vehicles.

However, it was a totally different story inside the ambulance's coach.

"I'm right here with you. Don't let go, ok?" Heero coolly said to the amber eyed girl who held his hand with an iron grip.

There was no response from her other than press his palm firmly with hers.

Since he had placed the young lady inside the ambulance after carrying her to safety all the way out of the park, she had only firmly grasped his hand as if her very life depended on it. The paramedics initially attempted to separate them but the young woman's erratic convulsions dissuaded them from doing so. Instead, the chief medic decided to bring the bewildered Gundam pilot along with them if it would help calm down the chestnut haired girl.

He carefully observed the patient as the paramedics inside the ambulance worked tirelessly to stabilize her condition. She still drew her breaths with difficulty despite the oxygen mask placed above her nose and mouth. The bullet had cleanly passed through her shoulder and enough pressure had been exerted on the wound to temporarily stop the bleeding. But her condition was still unstable as her physique struggled to keep up with the rigors that accompanied their previous situation. The shock or trauma coupled with the physical strain her body had been subjected proved too much for the amber eyed young woman to handle.

"Is she responding to you? Please continue talking to her. It would really help in calming her down." The chief medic reminded him before tending to the various life support systems inside the ambulance.

'_What the hell am I suppose to say on a situation like this? This supersedes the usual protocols I have been accustomed with.'_ Heero mused while shaking his head subtly.

"Everything will be fine. You're a… strong girl. You'll get through this."

The young lady once again only responded by pressing his palm firmly with hers.

'_You will be safe. I won't lose another innocent… because of my actions.'_

He was purged from his thoughts as the ambulance took a sudden turn before abruptly stopping a couple of seconds later. The rear doors soon opened as hospital staff rushed in to take out the small bed where the wounded civilian was currently situated.

"W-wait… Hold on. Be gentle…" Heero trailed as he was dragged along with the patient's bed.

'_Why is this happening to me…?'_

All because she still clenched his hand with a vice like grip.

The small bed was swiftly yet carefully raised and before long its folding wheeled legs were already rolling as the patient is whisked into the emergency room.

Along with Heero… in tow.

The chief of the paramedic team was providing a detailed update on the chestnut brown haired girl's condition to the head attending physician when one of the supporting doctors noticed him. The medical practitioner had a long oval face, wore round eyeglasses, black hair tied into a bun and seemed to be already in her mid-forties. She glanced back and forth at Heero and the patient while taking a keen interest on their tightly clasped hands.

"I see, you're this young woman's husband. Don't worry. We will take good care of her."

"Huh? No… no, you got it wrong, doctor…"

"Oh, nonsense… you men are all like that. Well, you have to be strong, ok? Just hold her hand till we reach the operating room. It would help in stabilizing her condition as it is right now."

"Ok."

"There's a gunshot wound on her shoulder, but the bleeding has been stopped. Does she have any allergies to certain medications? Or is she currently taking prescription drugs?"

"I… don't know."

"It's alright, young man. Her heart rate is quite high and her pulse is abnormally fast… are you by chance expecting she'll conceive probably nine months from now?"

"W-what?"

"Is she pregnant?"

'_Huh?!'_

His blank stare was enough for the doctor to clarify her inquiry.

"Well, with your baby of course."

'_What?!'_

"Ahh… young people these days. You have to take responsibility of her, ok?"

'_My actions… resulted to this. I'm already responsible… why she ended here.'_

"Yes, ma'am."

"Now, answer my previous question."

'_Which was…? I think it's the girl being pregnant or not.'_

Heero was confused, first he was mistakenly identified as the young woman's husband now he's being wrongly tagged as the father of her baby.

That is… if the civilian was pregnant.

'_I don't really know…'_

"No… I am not aware if she is expecting something… nine months from now."

"Ok… this would most likely be something congenital or probably caused by other intrinsic factors." The kind doctor said to herself before continuing.

"We're almost here, you two, please help this fine young man remove his hand from the patient's grip." The physician ordered at the nurses who were also walking briskly beside the hospital bed.

'_What have I gotten myself into…?'_

Finally after much effort, her hand was eventually pried off from his palm.

"This is as far as you may go. Non-hospital staff is prohibited inside the operating room. Please wait for your wife here while we attend to her."

'_But… She's not my wife.'_

Seeing him still stunned and without any reaction, the female doctor held both of his hands.

"Don't worry. We will do everything we can for her. True, the most difficult part is waiting. But you must stay there. She would no doubt be happy when the first person she sees upon waking up is you, her husband. We will notify you once the procedure is finished."

'_And… I am not her husband.'_

With that the physician went inside the operating room and after the doors closed the red light found at the center above them lit up. Heero could only sigh deeply and shake his head subtly in exasperation at the most recent events.

'_Are all hospitals like this?'_

* * *

"Mr. Keitaro Niimi and Mrs. Hinowa Niimi… in behalf of the Preventers High Command we would like to convey our sincerest apologies to the mishap that got your daughter, Haruka involved." A tall orange brown haired woman in military uniform earnestly stated before bowing respectfully to the couple inside one of the many private rooms inside Kouga Memorial Hospital.

"Ms. Po… please, it's alright… we understand." Keitaro Niimi, a man in his late thirties said as he ushered the Preventer officer to stand straight before resuming.

"Both me and my wife are sure that… nobody wanted our Haruka to be involved in that incident. Based from the report you have given us, Haruka got inside the park through the entrance utilized by one of the suspects where two of your agents were killed. It was a bad case of coincidence and tough luck she happened to be there which eventually led to unforeseen circumstances."

"Keitaro… is right, Ms. Po. We are truly grateful to the Preventers organization and especially to the young man who brought Haruka here. He's been standing watch over her even after we have arrived." Hinowa Niimi, a woman with chestnut brown hair tied in a pony tail agreed, bowing also to her.

"Preventer Special Agent Yuy was the overall mission team leader on that operation. He was the one who led your daughter to safety out of the combat zone. They just had the misfortune of getting pursued by one of the suspects as they neared the exits." Sally Po replied smiling lightly at the couple.

"He truly is a brave young man. Considering… Haruka suffered one of her seizures during the incident." Keitaro acceded while nodding repeatedly in relief.

"Mr. and Mrs. Niimi, as compensation for the incident, the Preventers have shouldered all of your daughter's medical fees. She will also be placed under a lifetime health plan that will cover all of her future health treatments, both pre-existing or not." The orange brown haired woman in a braided pair explained before bowing once again in apology.

"Oh… my… thank you so much." Hinowa said with gratitude clearly recognizable from the tone of her voice.

"This will be… very helpful to our family… especially to our Haruka. We can't thank you enough." Keitaro added, bowing deeply to her.

* * *

"Eight Preventer agents killed in action and four more in various degrees of injuries. Seven hostiles slain, one primary target killed, the other taken into custody with another auxiliary. And one civilian wounded." Lady Une, chief commanding officer of the Preventers enumerated before carefully placing the mission debrief folder in front of her table.

"What do you have to say for your actions?" She added after folding both palms together and resting them above the table's surface.

"Well… we did a great job, didn't we Heero?" Duo answered smiling confidently after nudging him with his elbow.

"The casualties were warranted considering the capabilities of our targets, the scope of our area and the number of resources available to us." Heero straightly answered, ignoring his fellow Gundam pilot's statement.

"Special Agent Yuy… or should I say… Contractor. According to the various statements taken and compiled into a report from your subordinates, you wavered on your last two commands. You initially had them back down after recognizing that there was a civilian inside the combat zone. However, you rescinded your order and had your team engage the targets."

"We were detected by the assassin, Lady Une. Aside from my statement, didn't the other teams made you aware that my location was peppered with bullets from the assassin and the arms dealer's bodyguards." Heero impassively replied.

"The civilian…"

"Was saved, kept alive and managed to get out of the engagement zone as well as survive through my actions, Commander Une."

The spectacles wearing leader of the Preventers organization subtly shook her head sideways and sighed deeply.

"A civilian was still involved. When the specifics of this report goes to ESUN… I am not sure how much flak they're going to throw at the Preventers."

"Can't you just… you know… edit out some of the details… Lady Une?" Duo suggested.

"Maxwell… I could have done that if only you and Yuy were the only operatives involved. But there will be a committee who will be conducting a review and investigation on this operation. We are already fortunate that details of this mission have been kept under the wraps with the civilian's parental consent. A media blackout has been successfully put into place considering the… blunder surrounding the mission's completion."

"With all due respect, commander, the sentries we placed on the east gates were neatly disposed by the assassin. Due to manpower issues, we lacked the flexibility on assigning more roving teams to keep out non-combatants inside the red zone." The braided haired former Gundam pilot explained.

"No, Duo. I understand where Lady Une is coming from. Despite the limitations, we still accepted the mission. Therefore, we… I still have to face the responsibility of ensuring the safety of our team and ensuring that no innocent civilian gets involved." He calmly responded before turning his attention and meeting the Preventer head's gaze.

"Fortunately the lone civilian was only wounded and is now recuperating. And since we both know that Heero Yuy is only a special contractor for the Preventers he is… absolved and excused from any interrogating body or sanctions that would normally apply to a regular Preventer agent." Lady Une elaborately discussed while referring to him.

"So the purpose of this meeting is to formally severe my ties with the organization." Heero ascertained, nodding his head in conclusion.

"Heero, I do hope you understand the decision. But as stated on our agreement, upon completion of the assignment, your compensation has already been deposited to your personal account." The head of the Preventers said truthfully before smiling apologetically at him.

"With severance?" Duo inquired, grinning smugly at Lady Une.

"He is only contracted on a per mission basis."

"Thank you, Lady Une." Heero answered while nodding subtly.

"What are your plans now, buddy?" Duo curiously asked him.

"Whatever the case was, I… plan to quit also after the events of this last mission." He revealed earning a surprised reaction from both Lady Une and his fellow pilot.

"Heero?" Duo astonishingly queried.

"I… intend to keep a promise."

* * *

Various medical equipment and monitoring systems surround the sleeping form of the young woman carefully laid out on the hospital bed. Only the steady beeping from one of the instruments could be heard from the stillness inside the room. Heero had dedicated himself to standing guard and watching over the patient since three days ago during the late hours of the evening till early morning cautious enough to leave before the room's occupant wakes up.

"Here… please take this, Heero." Hinowa Niimi softly said as she handed him a steaming cup of coffee.

"Oh… it's ok, Mrs. Niimi. Thank you." The stoic pilot replied after receiving the warm beverage.

"You've been keeping watch over her during the times me or my husband are supposed to be sleeping. How could we ever repay you?"

"No… you don't owe me anything. It is me who is indebted to you. Because of my actions, her life was placed on peril."

"That again…" Hinowa sighed before smiling lightly and looking straight into his eyes "Think nothing of it, young man. Ms. Po already explained everything to us. We… me and Keitaro are truly grateful you protected Haruka. She is alive and safe because of you."

"Again, I am… grateful for your kindness, Mrs. Niimi." He earnestly stated before shifting his glance at Haruka's sleeping form.

"Haruka… she's always been full of energy even then. When she was young, nobody wanted to play with her because she's all boyish and skinny. But despite that she persevered and eventually won a lot of friends."

Without waiting for him to say anything, Hinowa continued.

"Thanks to his childhood friend, Kazuya, she gained the confidence and determination to relate with people. She's been quite proactive and very friendly ever since."

"I see." He replied before asking, "Mrs. Niimi… has she been… ill like this before?"

The mother of the patient before them looked at him sadly as she spoke.

"She's been born with a quite fragile heart. Haruka's known that ever since she was a child. She's accepted her condition without any complaints. She's… she's such an understanding person."

Hinowa turned back to face Haruka's sleeping form as she resumed.

"Despite her ailment, it didn't deter her from living like any other normal kid of her age. She's been on a strict diet and… well, to keep herself fit she even indulged on sports, tennis particularly."

"That's good for her, Mrs. Niimi." The brown haired young man could only say before Hinowa softly nodded in agreement.

"How old are you, Heero?"

"Seventeen."

"Oh… so young. My Haruka is already eighteen but she's still only a second year in Senior High. She needed to stop a year back then due to her illness. That reminds me…" Hinowa trailed as she shifted her gaze back at Heero.

"About what you mentioned the previous evening. Keitaro and I both decided it would be for Haruka's best interest if we agree on your offer."

Hinowa bowed deeply at him before smiling kindly.

"However, I told Keitaro I would only approve on one condition."

"Anything, Mrs. Niimi."

"Heero, we were really happy when you offered to look out for Haruka till she finishes her Senior High. Keitaro, though he may not show it visibly or talk about it frequently truly appreciates and is already looking forward to your notion."

He only grunted in response to Hinowa's statement.

"But me… as Haruka's mother… and being a woman as well have something to ask of you. Heero, even at such a young age we are already aware of your capabilities as a soldier. You're already used to situations you have to watch over or… protect someone. In Haruka's case, please… look after her as someone you would care for."

There was a moment of silence between them as Heero pondered the meaning of her words before he replied.

"Mrs. Niimi… my training doesn't permit me to include my emotions on the person I have to watch over."

"Heero, the great war and Mariemaia's rebellion have concluded. All those times, our family had only been civilians. We have been very fortunate to have been spared from the horrors of war. Haruka, is not used to such circumstances, she's only been exposed to an ordinary civilian's life and been surrounded by pretty much the same people as well. If you enter her life, treat her as a friend. It would hurt her most to learn that you are only at her side out of pity or due to a deep sense of responsibility." The pony tailed woman carefully explained while gazing deeply into his eyes.

"I have to take responsibility for the results of my action, Mrs. Niimi. She wouldn't…"

"Heero, stop blaming yourself for the incident that happened… it was beyond your control. We never blamed you for that. Even or… despite her condition, Haruka, never wanted to be treated extraordinarily. She just wants to live like any other normal, ordinary girl. Don't do it out of pity for her… or because you feel responsible." Hinowa softly stated after placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I understand Mrs. Niimi, I will accede to your request. Please know that I am not doing this because I pity her. I want to help at least in my own way. But at any case… let my reasons for being at Haruka's side is kept secret from her."

The woman once again looked deeply into his cobalt blue orbs, as if measuring the truth behind his words. Finally after a couple of moments, she smiled warmly at him with her kind brown eyes and thoughtfully nodded.

"Thank you, Heero. I will tell Keitaro about this as well. Everything is safe with me and my husband."

* * *

"Man! This feels nostalgic!" Duo exclaimed as he walked beside Heero while they followed the school Principal.

"Keep your voice down Duo." The Perfect Soldier lowly uttered.

"Come on Heero, this brings back the good old memories of the time…"

"Shhh."

"You're always too serious."

"And you're always too irresponsible. I should have thought twice on letting you go with me." The former pilot of Wing Gundam chastised.

"Come on now… it's like I'll let you have all the fun and hog all the girls in Kouga Academy for yourself!" Duo smugly said before turning to look at the building's hallways.

"Besides… I'm always up to being your wingman at any given time." The lavender eyed Gundam pilot added after grinning impishly at him.

The brown haired boy subtly shook his head sideways in frustration. It has been more than three months since the mission in Kouga's southeastern park while a month and half had already passed since Haruka Niimi was discharged from the hospital. All those times, the stoic pilot had vigilantly watched over the civilian unwittingly caught up in their mission. He had been very wary on making his presence known to the amber eyed young woman those days he stood vigil by her bedside. Her operation was a success and her condition had been stable ever since. The school term was already rolling after the summer break when Heero made the decision to enroll in Kouga Senior High.

Duo Maxwell on his part, decided to take an indefinite sabbatical from the Preventers Organization in spite of repeated pleadings from his superiors to get back into active duty. The fun-loving Gundam pilot reasoned stress and psychological trauma, both lies, as his reasons for the extended absence. However, without any words needed to be exchanged, Heero, Col. Une and Maj. Po all knew that Duo's return to the force is next to impossible. The braided haired young man had been keen enough to make his disinterest with the organization known after the hard line policies and red tape restrictions implemented by Earth Sphere Unified Nations on the aftermath of the Kouga southeastern park debacle.

On his part, Heero's exit was without any hassles being only a _contractor_ or a _"special"_ operator for the Preventers. The cobalt blue eyed boy had no issues when it comes to financial matters as his professional fee had been quite substantial every time he was contracted for a mission. Duo had even once jokingly stated that his savings was enough to fund three lifetimes on an above the average living conditions without the need to ever work again.

Along with some assistance from Duo, Heero had temporarily closed down his humble apartment in L1 before taking his luggage and setting up residence in Kouga Prefecture. The lavender eyed former pilot of Gundam Deathscythe on his part, had long left his scavenger business in L2 under the management of his associate Hilde Schbiker. Though the two were no longer romantically connected, both have retained a friendly and professional relationship. Heero surmised that Duo's persistence to join him in his… _"quest for redemption"_ as the braided pilot fondly calls it was a way for him to take his mind off from a lot of matters.

The two of them had set up residence about a block away from the Niimi's house. The small home where they currently live in had two rooms, a bath/shower/toilet area, a living room separated from the dinning room and a kitchen. Three days ago, while Haruka was attending her classes they had already visited Keitaro and Hinowa Niimi to properly notify them of their arrival and subsequent plans. The couple was sincerely thankful and quite delighted upon learning their preparations had been quite extensive. Considering their expertise of course, it was a walk in the park for Heero and Duo to _'strategically' _place themselves as transfer students coincidentally into Haruka's own class. After meeting with the Principal as their first stop of the day, both of them had been treated akin to celebrities or VIPs due to the false information planted by Duo on their school profiles. Right now, they were even being escorted personally by the Principal to their homeroom.

"Our mission here is for the welfare of Haruka Niimi. You could play around if you want, but whenever there is a medical emergency I expect your immediate response first hand." Heero uttered under his breath while seriously staring at Duo.

"You can count on me, Red One. Grey Two might play a lot and have some fun with the ladies… but I take any mission given to me seriously." The braided haired pilot solemnly replied as they followed the school's head administrator.

He grunted in acknowledgment and nodded slightly at the young man hailing from L2 before the Principal beckoned them towards the sliding door leading to the room named 2-B.

* * *

The third period for morning classes lingered lazily much to Haruka Niimi's own growing complacency. She was an outstanding student, her academic marks are among the top in her class and the chestnut brown haired young woman has been known to be a very hardworking individual. However, for reasons unbeknownst even to her, she had been feeling a bit down lately since her return to the campus two weeks ago. Even though, it was already their English class, which happens to be one of her strongest subjects, Haruka still wondered why she seems to lack the motivation and focus on listening to the instructor.

Haruka briefly pondered if the persistent cacophony inside her mind was caused by that unforgettable incident last summer that almost cost her life. Everything had been… quite hazy since she regained consciousness in the hospital. Though the exactness of the entire event now seemed obscured from how she remembers it, the lovely girl could never forget the face of her protector during those critical and desperate moments.

"_Look at me!"_

"_Everything will be fine! I will take care of you!"_

"_P-promise me…"_

A faint shade of pink graced her cheeks as she reminisce the events of that tense-filled encounter.

She panicking… scared… she thought that was the end for her.

Yet the ice cream vendor or rather the secret agent protected her and saved her life.

He was lean built, but his muscles were toned… chiseled finely to his frame. His messy locks of chocolate brown hair as the gentle gale whiffed them aside revealed those intense and striking Prussian blue orbs gazing worriedly at her.

'_He must have forgotten about that already.'_ Haruka mused before reminding herself that he had only acted accordingly on that heart racing, life or death situation they found themselves in.

'_It's quite silly of me… to think so.'_ The chestnut brown haired young lady chided to herself.

After regaining consciousness and undergoing some psychological evaluation from one of the hospital's specialists, it was explained to Haruka by her parents that they have agreed and signed the waivers to keep everything – the incident, her involvement as witness under the wraps. Luckily for her, the Preventers had been successful with the operation, apprehending its target and killing the other suspects without anyone else getting aware of her identity. It was explicitly explained to her to keep everything a secret – even to her closest friends. Knowledge of the incident going public might force the Preventers to place their family on protective custody.

She for one was adamantly against the idea of living under the mantle of the Witness Protection Program. The young woman knew she would lose all of it – her simple yet cherished civilian life, her friends and the community she grew up in. It wasn't the kind of life she envisioned… especially when the matter of its length is highly questionable due to her fragile health.

Still… that moment… loitered in her thoughts. Deep into the night before sleep overcomes her awareness. Or even on occasions she was by herself. Those… moments they were running towards the park exit, him pulling her as she huffed and puffed while struggling with her breath… before one of their pursuers caught up with them. He turned and faced the gunman shielding her from the enemy then killing his foe with a precise shot from his sidearm. However, they were not left unscathed… she would have lost her life if not for the alertness and determination of the secret agent in rushing her to the hospital.

'_I'd like to see him… to thank him for saving me. But he's now probably on another mission and has totally forgotten about me.'_

She smirked subtly, twisting the edge of her lips slightly at the thought before shaking her head sideways in an effort to wash out those musings.

"Niimi-san, please read page 54 for the class."

The amber eyed young woman was purged from her ruminations after hearing the instructress call out her name. She pulled back her chair and picked up her book, incidentally, the current subject was taught by their homeroom teacher, Ms. Misa Kitagawa and once again she had been asked by the educator to translate one of the passages in English.

"_The sun was already setting on the horizon as Heishiro and Hinata ran ecstatically along the shorelines. The young man tightly held the young lady's palm with his before slowly going into a halt. Heishiro turned his head and fixed his gaze at Hinata before telling her…"_

"_The summer is ending and soon I will be recalled back into the frontlines. Please remember me, our times together, even for just a moment. Know that the happiest days in my life where those I spent with you. If I won't make it back, know that I will cherish you always and am setting you free without any hindrance."_

"_Hinata placed her hand on his cheek as her eyes looked longingly into the young man. The young woman with long straight raven hair smiled hopefully at him while sharing her thoughts…"_

"_I will only look at you. Promise to return for me because I will wait for you."_

"_Heishiro's eyes wandered over Hinata's gentle face, nodding lightly and smiling back in return before pulling her close to him in one bittersweet embrace."_

"Wonderful, Niimi-san! As expected your skill on reading English is certainly among the best in your batch." Ms. Kitagawa commended after the amber eyed tennis ace finished reading the assigned passage.

Haruka smiled and bowed slightly prior to taking her seat.

"Ms. Kitagawa's frustrations in romance are evident on the fiction works she has been getting us to read!" A student slyly commented earning a roar of laughter from the rest of the class.

"QUIET! EVERYONE!" Misa angrily yelled at the class with a dark aura hovering all over her that compounded the scary visage currently reflected by her stern yet lovely face.

The entire class was immediately silenced after that.

"You, Mizuno-san… will be getting some special treatment today. Write a 20-page translation from where Niimi-san has left off!" Ms. Kitagawa gravely ordered while glaring angrily at the now fear-stricken student.

No one dared to laugh at the poor offender's misfortune upon hearing their teacher issue a drill sergeant like exercise after getting riled up.

The tensed air permeated inside the classroom would have rose up even further till they were interrupted by three timely knocks from the front sliding door.

Haruka's amber eyes darted curiously at their classroom's front door to see Ms. Kitagawa alertly pacing towards it. The fiery teacher pulled the door aside with one hand on her waist showing her irritation on the earlier commotion. From where the chestnut brown haired girl sat she was able to see the sudden change of demeanor from their agitated teacher. It altered from incredibly incensed to… peculiarly docile as soon as she saw the person outside the door.

"Shima-sensei!" Misa blurted before bowing repeatedly at the elderly man.

Mr. Kanbei Shima, a stout man wearing a grey business suit, 50 years of age, fixed his eyeglasses while smiling inquisitively at their homeroom teacher.

She then saw Ms. Kitagawa slightly close the sliding door after engaging the school's Principal in what seems to be a rather confidential discussion.

'_What could they be talking about?'_

Seeing no point to entail her interest on whatever matter the educators were in conversation outside, the tennis ace averted her attention back to the topic she was finding herself deeply intrigued with.

"_Look at me! Calm down, ok? We will get out of this alive!"_

"_But we need to get out of here! Don't worry I will protect you!"_

'_Well… ice cream vendor-kun did indeed protect me. But… he didn't make good with his promise. Oh! What! Is! Wrong! With! You! Haruka! Of course he just said that because you were in a life and death situation! Let it pass!'_ Her thoughts scrambled and shoved back at the young woman.

The chestnut brown haired girl closed her eyes and steadied her breathing in an effort to calm down whatever it was raging inside her chest. She surmised that she was just looking for a closure on the incident that happened last summer. Of course, she was thankful that whoever the ice cream vendor a.k.a. secret agent was – had extended her relatively limited lifespan. Yet at the back of her mind, there was that something she could not place a name on which always drives her thoughts to a corner and causes the pretty young woman a lot of anxiety.

"Class, you have two new classmates beginning today." Misa Kitagawa announced after entering the room.

Like a group of people watching a spectacle all heads inside the room turned to the opened front door as a young man entered.

The boy was 17-years of age, he had long braided medium brown hair, a pair of lavender eyes that sparkle with mischief and a sly smile graced his lips. The transfer student knew he was physically attractive as he made no effort to hide it, especially when his school shirt hung perfectly from his nice and fit upper body.

"Please introduce yourself."

"The name's Duo. Duo Maxwell, hope to be friends with everyone… especially all the ladies." The new student said before smiling or… grinning brightly at them.

Of course, as expected with such a statement her class turned lively immediately.

"Maxwell-kun! Can I call you Duo?" One of her classmates, Ami Yoshino teasingly asked.

"Only if you let me call you, Pretty." The boy playfully teased in return before winking at her classmate.

The class, particularly the girls were all shrieking and elated upon hearing his response. Soon after, the other female students where bombarding him with different questions to which he candidly answered in a flirtatious manner.

'_He looks kind… but he's a player for sure.'_ Haruka construed as she turned to look out at the window next to where her seat was located.

'_I wonder… what he's doing right now.'_

Her mind was taken out from its wanderings after hearing Ms. Kitagawa calm down the class.

"Ok, that's enough everyone. Thank you, Maxwell-san for obliging them with your rather frivolous answers." The fiery teacher spoke, nodding slightly at the braided young man before turning to their class.

"Now, we have another new student that will also be placed in our class." Misa declared which prompted the rest of her classmates to sit back and listen.

"Please come inside and introduce yourself as well." Her homeroom teacher beckoned, ushering someone from outside.

'_Oh, another new classmate.'_ Haruka thought, she had rested her left arm on the desk before leaning her face on her palm while gazing curiously at whomever it was that would soon come in.

Her amber colored irises stirred in apparent disbelief upon seeing the face of the person who stepped inside their classroom.

'_It's….'_

The young man was obviously also 17-years of age, he had an unruly mess of chocolate brown hair with his bangs falling just above his eyebrows. The boy had piercing cobalt blue eyes and stood impressively at a height equal to that of their other new classmate, Duo. He neither had a smile nor frown painted on his lips yet his lean frame cut perfectly on their school uniform.

"My name is Heero Yuy. It is… a pleasure." He shortly said, bowing slightly at them.

'…_him…'_

For unknown causes… she felt something… somewhere skip its normal rate as her eyes fixed themselves on the young man before her.

'_Ice cream vendor-kun…'_

The screaming of her female classmates and the overall noise around the room paled in comparison to the echoing call resounding someplace she was now dredging to discover.

'_How could this be…?'_

"Yuy-san, why did you enroll here?" A girl from her class queried smiling expectantly at the chocolate brown haired boy.

An angel seemed to have passed by as the whole classroom was silenced in anticipation of his reply.

The ice cream vendor, or rather, Heero Yuy scanned the entirety of the room with his deep blue orbs seemingly searching for something before meeting her eyes discreetly in passing.

He cleared his throat slightly before sighing and saying another short response.

"To keep a promise."

His words brought a sudden jolt within her, similar to the sensation of getting electrified.

'_What is happening… to me…? '_She mused, as a light pinkish shade blossomed out from her cheeks.

The amber eyed girl buried the lower half of her face slightly on the area covered by her palm.

It was all she could do to hide the fond smile curving from her thin lips.

* * *

**Author's notes:**

Thanks so much for the reviews, reactions and feedbacks on the opening of **Look at Me.** I am really grateful as well to the readers who have also included the story on their favorites or alerts. Rest assured that though the rate of update is erratic, LaM (Look at Me) is a serious project which I have every intention to finish.

Admittedly, in terms of fanfiction writing I am more focused right now on the conclusion of **Haruka's Wings**. So for those who haven't read that yet, it is near completion with one update left. To the readers of HW who also support this story, don't worry, I wanted to finish Chapter 2 so I could resume work on HW19. It will be pretty long so think of this update as some sort of appetizer to satisfy the anticipation on the climactic finish of Haruka's Wings.

Special acknowledgment to a few good friends – **operation meteor** for plugging _'Look at Me'_ on his highly popular and epic action & romance story, **Journey to a New Battlefield**. **Drake202** – as always, a pioneer on both my stories. And lastly, **Bucio** – one of the in-depth critics on my stories.

Hmmm… let's give this chapter an anime-like feel on the end… some interaction between our protagonists.

* * *

Next on **Look at Me**:

Heero and Duo have enrolled at Kouga Academy. The two former Gundam Pilots are not only there to study, experience a normal school life, meet various colorful personalities inside the campus but also due to one very specific mandate.

"Our main and sole priority is to protect Haruka Niimi at all times." The Perfect Soldier clearly stated at his self-proclaimed wingman, who grinned impishly and nodded in agreement.

"And probably… find romance on the side as well!" The god of death slyly declared with the tone of his voice hinting nothing but mischief and excitement.

"Duo… I only need to guard Haruka Niimi, I don't have the time or patience to look out for you as well."

"You don't need to get too preachy on me Heero, you'll be requiring my extensive romantic… err… civilian exposure to blend well with the common folks!"

"Stick to the game plan, Duo. I didn't bring you here to play around."

"Oh come on Heero! Relax a little… now look at that girl… despite the stern face and well…" The lavender pilot trailed as he ogled the young woman from head to toe.

"… quite lacking on certain aspects… BUT I like those glasses, twin pony tails and her long legs. She's definitely my type!" Duo whispered as both of them discreetly observed the young woman.

"Duo… again, focus on our objectives…"

"There you go again, so uptight! Or maybe… you already like our mission directive right from the beginning…" The former pilot of Deathscythe insinuated, smiling evilly at Heero.

"Damn you, Duo. I really shouldn't have even considered bringing you here." The Perfect Soldier callously stated before walking away from braided haired pilot.

* * *

The dark knight fulfills his promise to the maiden with an ailing condition. Now that their lives have crossed each other, how will Haruka Niimi's once quiet and simple civilian life be able to handle the torrent of possibilities brought by the Perfect Soldier, Heero Yuy? Find out next on Chapter 3, _**The Girl with a Fragile Heart.**_

Thanks for reading LaM02 and please don't forget to review! – EZ23 (Chapter 2 released on 11.12.13)


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